By Rich Bockmann
The borough’s Republican Party and its leadership are facing a wave of challenges in Tuesday’s primary that could reshape the GOP power structure in Queens.
The county party, led by Chairman Phil Ragusa, is defending a slate of state and county committee seats being challenged by an emboldened, but not necessarily unified, group of dissatisfied GOPers.
In what could be yet another blow to the chairman’s perceived authority, Ragusa is facing a primary challenge from Northeast Queens Republican Club member Sal Bacarella, who said he decided to throw his hat in the race after a party was charged with political corruption earlier this year.
“Over the past few months with the corruption scandals going on, it catapulted me into action,” he said. “It’s literally penetrated everyone within the GOP, everyone from Ragusa down the line to all of his cronies.”
Ragusa could not be reached for comment, but Executive Director Robert Hornak said the chairman has effectively served the party for decades.
“We welcome all new recruits to the Republican Party. But someone who only joined the party in 2008 and whose only involvement has been helping to elect Dan Halloran might want to take some time and build a little more of a track record in working to build the GOP before running for a leadership position,” he said, referring to Bacarella.
Other members of the party’s executive committee facing primary challenges for state committee include Ruby Muhammad, Rosemary Iacovone and Judith Stupp, who was ousted from her position as commissioner at the Queens Board of Elections earlier this year through a political coup.
Aside from state committee races, the party is also backing a number of candidates in county committee races, which will determine the members who elect the party chairman.
While the party has been fractured for some time, recent events have mobilized disenchanted Queens Republicans.
In April, then-Queens GOP Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone — who was working on John Catsimatidis’ mayoral campaign — was arrested and charged in federal court as a player in an alleged plot along with City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) to bribe southeast Queens state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Hollis) onto the Republican ticket in the race for Gracie Mansion.
Tabone allegedly told an undercover FBI agent that he, not Ragusa, ran the county party, casting aspersions on its leadership.
The party went on to endorse Catsimatidis, drawing a line in the sand between many Republicans who prefer former MTA Chariman Joe Lhota.
Dennis Saffran, the party-backed candidate in northeast Queen’s Council District 19 race, said that in some races, like Ragusa’s, he backs the party candidate and in others he supports the opposition. The two camps have become too entrenched, he said, and it hurts the party overall.
“I think it tears the party apart unnecessarily and it’s a terrible shame, because there are no ideological issues in this Hatfield-McCoy war and that’s what’s most appalling about it. There are various stripes of Republicans in both camps and the issues have become purely personal,” he said. “It’s frustrated the state party. It’s frustrated a lot of people in Queens and it’s got to end.”
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
